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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Brett_in_Sacto, post: 2203138, member: 71510&quot;]Bunker, as a rule I always buy random things when a buddy tells me to.&nbsp; Then again, I believe in feeding trolls too.&nbsp; <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie1" alt=":)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>As far as a recession - we&#039;re seeing lots of things the feds and media refuse to acknowledge.</p><p><br /></p><p>1.&nbsp; Healthcare has hit everyone hard - this is inflation in its finest form.&nbsp; I don&#039;t know of ANYONE that actually works and has healthcare with costs that went down.&nbsp; By the time this year is said and done, our household will pay about $3k more out of pocket.</p><p><br /></p><p>2.&nbsp; Minimum wage laws will raise the average price for all goods and services - not only in the areas where they raised the minimum wage, but across the board - since goods and services are distributed.&nbsp; As an added detriment, small business are automating instead of hiring.&nbsp; Computers don&#039;t demand wage increases or healthcare (yet).</p><p><br /></p><p>3.&nbsp; Taxes and fees - all have gone up.&nbsp; By small amounts - but nonetheless all going up.&nbsp; In my area this last year we saw 1/4 percent sales tax increase, our garbage taxes and rate, water taxes (and water FEES which are really just TAXES), and our taxes on electricity also went up.&nbsp; All of these total to about $50 a year.&nbsp; Not much, but it&#039;s still $50 a year that I wasn&#039;t spending last year.&nbsp; I have several properties that appreciated, and the 2 higher priced ones had substantial increases (the two smaller ones ironically went down a bit).&nbsp; Both of these have me paying an extra few hundred more in property taxes. </p><p><br /></p><p>Add to this the increased regulation and governmental controls that are continuously being passed by congress.</p><p><br /></p><p>Call it stealth inflation if you want - but it&#039;s there.&nbsp; Just because prices on the shelf are a bit lower (supply and demand) - don&#039;t mistake it for things getting cheaper.</p><p><br /></p><p>Have you looked at the price of a meal in a restaurant lately?&nbsp; There&#039;s another stealth inflation cost from healthcare. </p><p><br /></p><p>For those old enough to remember &quot;dot-com to dot-bom&quot; you should see the handwriting on the wall.&nbsp; For those too young - go read.&nbsp; <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie1" alt=":)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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